Vodafone and Auts want to dig up Starlink in Europe

The British group Vodafone Group PLC and the Texas satellite operator AST Spacemobile want to found a common European satellite provider and offer its services of European mobile network operators (MNOS). European MNOs could then book satellite and network capacities from ASTS and Vodafone via the SATCO to supply their own customers by satellite, i.e. to cover all the unspoken areas at least under the open air.

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ARTS and VODAFONE are trying to fill a market early and to dig up the water like Starlink in Europe. So far, there is still no radio regulation for the EU (see section “Advanced Funze Regulation in a distance”) and ARTS has so far only five satellites in orbit.

100 percent coverage in Europe

According to AUTS and Vodafone, Sato strives for a “100 percent geographical cover in all of Europe” in order to provide consumers and companies access to “secure space -based cellular broadband connections via their mobile operator”.

Sato wants to offer European network operators “turnkey” services. For this purpose, “a network of ground stations” is to be built up that offers Backhaul services. Vodafone does the network management.

Vodafone is involved in the satellite operator AstS anyway, as is Google and some other companies. In the United States, however, AUTS has independently concluded contracts with the mobile network operators there AT&T and Verizon.

Faster late starters

Technically speaking, the Bluebird satellites of ARTS are considered progressive; According to Vodafone, they are suitable for both the 4G and modern 5G communication and, thanks to their huge antennas (223 square meters of space). On this basis, Vodafone and AUTS recently demonstrated the first satellite -based video call with commercially available smartphones.

The service offer for Europe is likely to be prepared for a long time. This is indicated by the satellite tracks of the first five Bluebirds, which overflow Europe one after the other and a little offset. The satellite tracks can be used, for example, from the web service Isstracker.pl in real time on a world map let.

Starlink, on the other hand, is considered a leader in terms of satellite quantity in orbit with a huge distance (a total of 7052 functional satellites). The company has also already concluded contracts with several mobile network operators worldwide to supply their customers from space with mobile phone services. So far, however, there are no European network operators. Well-known customers include T-Mobile USA (daughter of Deutsche Telekom), Telstra in Australia, Rogers in Canada or Salt in Switzerland. Starlink has the current list of its global partners Published on his website in the “Global Partner” section.